The Leadership Lessons of Star Trek

I learned a lot about leadership from Star Trek. Stop laughing, I’m serious. We are all influenced by our cultural tastes and Star Trek was a big one for me. I’m not embarrassed about liking Star Trek, but at the same time you won’t find me at Star Trek conventions wearing a homemade uniform either. That doesn’t mean I don’t own a uniform…but that’s a different issue.

Setting aside the JJ Abrams rebooted movies and even The Next Generation; the best of the Star Trek movies is Star Trek II, the Wrath of Kahn. You can debate me, but you’d be wrong. One of the subtle themes in the movie is the concept of the no-win scenario. It is a test for all starship captains (leaders) where there is no way to win. A ship contacts you in distress. If you go to rescue it, you have to violate …